Phenomena

We are in Indiana this week visiting Kyle’s family. It’s always fun spending time with Mimi, PaPaw, uncle Cory and uncle Troy. Today, we went to the opening of The Muppets movie. What a piece of nostalgia! It was a great movie. I kept waiting for one of my favorite Muppetisms: Mahnamahna. It finally came at the end, and we were all singing “Mahnamahna! Doo doo doo doo doo doo…. Mahnamahna!” together and continued on our way out of the theatre. It’s kind of like a soundtrack to my life at times. It sounds very happy-go-lucky, and silly and doesn’t really make a lot of sense.

I’ve been described many times as a “happy-go-lucky” person with “pie in the sky” optimism and generally a pretty happy and fun person (although that may have changed as I’ve grown up a bit). When I’m at my best, I’d say the “Phenomena” sketch is definitely the best way to describe me. I love the sketch of Sandra Bullock as a therapist talking to Kermit the Frog in a padded office. She’s all professional asking Kermit what seems to be the problem, and he tells her that whenever he says, “Phenomena” something weird happens. (I don’t know why the word was later changed to “mahnamahna.” These little muppet monsters pop up and start be-bopping. Sandra tries it herself, finds it fun and amusing and totally cuts loose undoing her pony tail, dancing and swinging her hair in the air. She pulls it together at the end, but it’s hilarious to me. The whole sketch is completely random and funny. At many times, this is the exact picture of our life, with the exception of the padded room.

I’ll be going along in life in normal fashion, doing my job as a wife and mother, and then I get interrupted by little monsters that completely change everything, especially one little monster. Samuel likes to do this one particular diddy with me: he’ll come to me and put his arms around my neck or his hands on my face and smile and say, “Meh (pause), meh meh meh meh”. I started babbling with him, which he just thinks is hilarious and he melts into laughter. Then he pulls it together, and we do it all over again. If I don’t stop him, he’ll repeat it endlessly.

Most times, these kinds of daily interruptions often remind me of Monty Python’s phrase phrase from The Flying Circus, “And now, for something completely different…” Although some days the “something completely different” is the thing that looks most “normal” because most of the day is made up of randomness and senseless conversation or other circumstances. Yet, there’s something amusing about it all and although occasionally frustrating, I just can’t help but smile and embrace the moment for what it is: Life as we know it.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

Website

What are you looking for?

Search for:

Sarah Broady is a stay at home mom, (worship) pastor's wife and autism mom. Sarah is married to her college sweetheart, Kyle, and they have three boys, one of whom has autism. She is an autism advocate and writer. Sarah loves encouraging fellow autism parents sharing the same special-needs journey in life. She loves Jesus and strives to live a life worthy of her calling as a believer, daily relying on Him for His immeasurable grace and hoping in Christ as He is making all things new both now and forever.